Implied Informed Consent Form for Social Science Research

The Pennsylvania State University

Principal Investigator:	Linden Wright
	2318 W. Whitehall Rd.
	State College, PA 16801
	low102@psu.edu
	(610) 730-5359
Advisor:	Dr. Steve Shaffer
	223L Outreach Building
	The Pennsylvania State University
	University Park, PA 16802
	scs12@psu.edu
	(814) 865-0375

• Purpose of the Study: Social tagging is a way to categorize and describe web sites by giving them tags, or descriptive keywords. The purpose of this research is to determine whether or not these tags can be used to aid web search.
• Procedures to be followed: In this questionnaire, you will be asked to preform an internet search. There are some suggested search topics, however, you can search for anything you would like. The internet search interface is very similar to other internet search sites (like Google or Yahoo). You will then be asked to answer a few simple questions about the results of the search.
• Duration/Time: The entire questionnaire should take no longer than 5 minutes.
• Statement of Confidentiality: Your participation in this research is confidential. The survey does not ask for any information that would identify who the responses belong to. In the event of any publication or presentation resulting from the research, no personally identifiable information will be shared because your name is in no way linked to your responses. Your confidentiality will be safe to the degree permitted by the technology used. Specifically, no guarantees can be made regarding the interception of data sent via the Internet by any third parties.
• The following may review and copy records related to this research: The Office of Human Research Protections in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Science Institutional Review Board and the PSU Office for Research Protections.
• Right to Ask Questions: Please contact Linden Wright at (610) 730-5359 with questions or concerns about this study. If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, or you have concerns of general questions about the research, contact Penn State University’s Office for Research Protections as (814) 865-1775. You may also call this number if you cannot reach the research team or wish to talk to someone else.
• Voluntary Participation: Your decision to be in this research is voluntary. You can stop at any time. You do not have to answer any questions you do not want to answer.
• Refusal to take part in or withdrawing from this study will involve no penalty or loss of benefits you would receive otherwise.

You must be 18 years of age or older to take part in this research study.

Completion and return of the survey implies that you have read the information in this form and consent to take part in the research. Please print or save this page for your records or future reference.

This document (IRB#23912 Doc. #1) has been reviewed and approved by the Social Science Institutional Review Board (IRB) at The Pennsylvania State University on 09/06/06; it will expire on 08/30/07 (JKG).